Synthesis

San Francisco Giants: Mid-Season Report

Jacob Sprecher — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 21:35:33 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher If you were trying to sum up with one word the first half of the season the 2012 San Francisco Giants, well, I’m not so sure you could. As I write this column, the Giants have just been swept by the Washington Nationals, and are losers of five out of the last [...]

The post San Francisco Giants: Mid-Season Report appeared first on Synthesis.

High Sierra Music Festival 2012

Eric — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 21:57:52 +0000

By Spencer Rouse Time to pack up your animal costumes, glitter and hula hoops and make the trek up to Quincy for the High Sierra Music Festival (HSMF). Not only will you get the opportunity to see nationally touring acts like Ben Harper, Galactic, Soulive and Toots and the Maytals in intimate settings, you also [...]

The post High Sierra Music Festival 2012 appeared first on Synthesis.

Sleepy Sun

Jacob Sprecher — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 21:21:51 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher Dabbling in a mixture of hard rock and psychadelia is a tenuous tightrope. The peaks are incredibly high, while the lows are flat-out embarrassing. Both genres have overwhelming qualities of ambiguity, and it’s the few and the proud that are able to avoid tired clichés and pull off genuine sensibility. Sleepy Sun [...]

The post Sleepy Sun appeared first on Synthesis.

I Went Down to the Place By the Sea

Jacob Sprecher — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 22:12:55 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher A few years ago a good friend of mine gave me any extra copy of an old KXLU compilation. KXLU is a non-commercial radio station down in L.A., and this particular disc came out in 199, Volume 4 in a series of live, in-studio recordings. It features the likes of Beachwood Sparks, [...]

The post I Went Down to the Place By the Sea appeared first on Synthesis.

Tropical Popsicle

Jacob Sprecher — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:49:41 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher For the eighth largest city in the entire United States, San Diego tends to fly well under the national musical radar. I’m not saying that San Diego is anything like San Jose, where being in a band worth one single damn is apparently outlawed; I’m just saying that for a populace of [...]

The post Tropical Popsicle appeared first on Synthesis.

Doooooooooog will hunt! An interview with Les Claypool

Jacob Sprecher — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 21:28:57 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher Of all the alternative bands to explode onto MTV and into the mainstream in the early ‘90s, you’d have a hard time coming up with one more bizarre and seemingly off-putting than Primus. From Les Claypool’s guttural and impossible bass mastery to the helter-skelter squeals of Larry LaLonde’s guitar to the monkey-wrench [...]

The post Doooooooooog will hunt! An interview with Les Claypool appeared first on Synthesis.

Gipper Goes Pink

Eric — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:27:18 +0000

By Emerald Behrens Who wouldn’t want an 18-inch pink bust of Ronald Reagan in their living room? Frank Kozik, designer of in-your-face toys such as the Smorkin’ Labbit and Wacky Dictators, brings you the opportunity with his exclusive pink Gipper bust. Kozik, who is an internationally recognized pop artist best known for his rock posters, [...]

The post Gipper Goes Pink appeared first on Synthesis.

The American Institute of Marital Sanctity

Jacob Sprecher — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:52:24 +0000

by Jacob Sprecher I’m not really sure what to make of President Obama’s recent statement in support of same-sex marriage. Anyone that’s not 80 years old or a brain-dead hillbilly knows full well that marriage should be legalized across the sexual board, and, thusly, we should all be gleeful at the “evolution” of President Obama’s [...]

The post The American Institute of Marital Sanctity appeared first on Synthesis.

Allo Darlin’

Jacob Sprecher — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:13:05 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher Oh, the sweet lullabies of an English voice sung in the key of pop. Well, Elizabeth Morris is actually a Queenslander, but after relocating to the United Kingdom seven years ago and jumping full-force into the vast musical pool, she pretty much qualifies. As for the group she fronts alongside Paul Rains, [...]

The post Allo Darlin’ appeared first on Synthesis.

Escape the Fate

Eric — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:23:12 +0000

By Eric Wendt Escape the Fate is a paradox. They have rabid, die-hard fans the world over, yet many people have never heard of them. Judging by the name of their current co-headlining tour, “This World is Ours,” it looks like the band is aiming to change that. Synthesis spoke with the post-hardcore 5-piece’s frontman, [...]

The post Escape the Fate appeared first on Synthesis.

AWOLNATION

Eric — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:06:19 +0000

By Melissa Hahn With the aptitude to go viral on the Internet these days, word of mouth and YouTube is all you really need to stumble upon a wild card in a deck of hopeful fame-chasers. Aaron Bruno, the mastermind behind electro-rock band AWOLNATION, is one of those wild cards. After playing with bands Under [...]

The post AWOLNATION appeared first on Synthesis.

First Impressions of Morocco

Jacob Sprecher — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:59:55 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher Though I’ve done plenty of traveling in the past, I’ve never officially left the Western world. Eastern Europe, for example, with all its ex-Soviet oddities, is still the West. Morocco, however, though just nine miles from Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar, is most certainly not the West. So instead of waxing [...]

The post First Impressions of Morocco appeared first on Synthesis.

Eligh & Amp Live

Eric — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:21:28 +0000

By Eric Wendt Eligh and Amp Live might just be the peanut butter and chocolate of hip hop. Both are great on their own, but together…(kisses fingers)…tres magnifique. Eligh is probably best known as part of the Living Legends crew, as well as half of popular duo The Grouch & Eligh. Amp Live’s claim to [...]

The post Eligh & Amp Live appeared first on Synthesis.

Texas

Jacob Sprecher — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:24:57 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher It’s earlier than I’d like it to be. Last night’s Terry Malts show was at Club DaDa in Dallas with Real Estate and the Twerps which turned out around 350 people, and the four of us wound up getting quite drunk. At The Drive In was playing a last-minute one-off directly across [...]

The post Texas appeared first on Synthesis.

Going Green With Gwar

Eric — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:18:22 +0000

By Melissa Hahn The demonic overlords known as Gwar are nearing their third decade of savagery with their 13th record. Synthesis chatted with Oderus Urungus, frontman of Gwar and intergalactic mutant of Scumdogia, about the band’s history, the passing of guitarist Flattus Maximus, and some key environmental issues to help us celebrate Earth Month. You [...]

The post Going Green With Gwar appeared first on Synthesis.

Red Fang

Eric — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:08:44 +0000

By Brian Leak Red Fang have been taking the metal world by storm since releasing their self-titled debut in 2009 via Sargent House. Between playing the Metalliance tour alongside Crowbar and Helmet, and opening for bands like Megadeth on the Jägermeister stage of Rockstar’s Mayhem Festival last year, the guys in Red Fang have been making [...]

The post Red Fang appeared first on Synthesis.

Get Smart, Stupid: Cesar Chavez Day Is No St. Pat’s

Jacob Sprecher — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:15:56 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher Last week I happened to read an extremely unfortunate opinion piece in The Orion. Titled “Sombreros, mustaches acceptable on Chavez,” the column defended the recent Chico State tradition of dressing up like a bandito, beating piñatas and shooting tequila on Cesar Chavez Day. “I don’t see the hate, and I disagree with [...]

The post Get Smart, Stupid: Cesar Chavez Day Is No St. Pat’s appeared first on Synthesis.

Pinching A Loaf At The Bar

Jacob Sprecher — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 22:03:34 +0000

by Jacob Sprecher If you’ve ever been drinking at the Banshee downtown—or rather, if you’ve ever had many drinks at the Banshee downtown—you’ll have no doubt used the bathroom. Inside those bathrooms, both men and women’s, is a chalkboard. These chalkboards are typically used for doodling, which makes sense; it’s fun to doodle after a [...]

The post Pinching A Loaf At The Bar appeared first on Synthesis.

Brendon Small: Metal Mastermind

Eric — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:08:48 +0000

By Brian Leak Jack of all trades. Renaissance man. Call it what you want, he’s a fucking workaholic. Brendon Small is the mastermind behind your favorite animated band, Dethklok, as well as the voice of so many characters you’ve come to love from his very own Metalocalypse (not to mention Frisky Dingo, Aqua Teen Hunger [...]

The post Brendon Small: Metal Mastermind appeared first on Synthesis.

Head for the Hills

Eric — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:53:52 +0000

By Eric Wendt When was the last time you lost your shit over a bluegrass band? I’m willing to go out on a limb and say the answer is never. While roots music has a long and storied American history, it’s not competing with Nicki Minaj to rule the pop charts. Which is why Head [...]

The post Head for the Hills appeared first on Synthesis.

Neil Hamburger: Sex Machine

Eric — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:16:30 +0000

By Steve Swim America’s Funnyman is here to help you forget about your miserable lives. If you’re not familiar with Neil Hamburger, now’s your chance to fall in love (or hate) with the singular entertainer. Hamburger, known for his greasy hair, wide glasses and tacky tuxedos, has had his mug on both stage and screen [...]

The post Neil Hamburger: Sex Machine appeared first on Synthesis.

The Pawns of Comedy

Eric — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:41:52 +0000

By Alfredo Camacho I felt a bit foolish once the reason behind the name for the Pawns of Comedy was explained to me by DNA, who, as his own name implies, really is the comedy troupe’s nucleus (as well as its founder). As he says, he does just about everything for the troupe. “I do [...]

The post The Pawns of Comedy appeared first on Synthesis.

Hoopity-Hip: An interview with the Growlers

Jacob Sprecher — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:36:24 +0000

by Jacob Sprecher Drop the almost non-existent sub-genre of beach-goth on your average music fan and you’re likely to get the following response: “What the fuck is that?” Well, what it’s not, is Bob Smith drinking Cabo Wabo in a string bikini; what it is, is the acid-tinged musings of five Costa Mesa-bred sand hounds [...]

The post Hoopity-Hip: An interview with the Growlers appeared first on Synthesis.

Hello, my name is: Terry Malts

Jacob Sprecher — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:28:49 +0000

by Jacob Sprecher For anyone that’s played in the same band for an extended period of time, there’s a tendency (when that band finally dissolves) to begin a new project with a select member or members of that same initial group. This inevitably proves to be eerily similar to on-again off-again screwing near the tail [...]

The post Hello, my name is: Terry Malts appeared first on Synthesis.

Review Round-Up: Sweet and Sour Edition

Eric — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:37:23 +0000

Lamb of God Resolution Roadrunner Few bands, if any, match the raw intensity of Lamb of God, and their newest album, Resolution, is no exception. From the sludgy start to the shredding commencement, Lamb of God breaks out the heavy artillery. Chugging guitars laden with teeth-grinding distortion pave the way to imminent destruction while drums-so-technical-the-drummer-must-have-five [...]

The post Review Round-Up: Sweet and Sour Edition appeared first on Synthesis.

A Friendly Chat With Chris Conley

Eric — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:25:00 +0000

By Brian Leak Chris Conley has been in the music scene since he was roughly 14 years old. As of now he fronts Saves The Day with a revolving cast of characters, while also contributing to other projects and raising a family. Chris has been a resident of Synthesis‘ own Chico, CA for the better [...]

The post A Friendly Chat With Chris Conley appeared first on Synthesis.

The Growlers @ Origami Lounge

Jacob Sprecher — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:26:07 +0000

design by Jonny Alexander

The post The Growlers @ Origami Lounge appeared first on Synthesis.

Standard Fare: Out of Sight, Out of Town

Jacob Sprecher — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:39:45 +0000

Standard Fare Out of Sight, Out of Town Melodic Back for a sophomore effort after the delectable delight of 2010’s The Noyelle Beat, Sheffield, England’s Standard Fare returns with Out of Sight, Out of Town. Songstress Emma Cooper once again utilizes Standard Fare’s playful pop formula to summon visions of Chrissie Hynde, and gives hope [...]

The post Standard Fare: Out of Sight, Out of Town appeared first on Synthesis.

Terry Malts w/The Hambones @ Duffy’s Tavern

Jacob Sprecher — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:13:44 +0000

The post Terry Malts w/The Hambones @ Duffy’s Tavern appeared first on Synthesis.

Wolves in the Throne Room

Eric — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:00:27 +0000

By Eric Wendt For people unfamiliar with Wolves in the Throne Room, diving into their oeuvre might feel kind of like walking into an abstract film halfway through its running time. But that’s kind of the point. As the band itself states, “[Black Metal]… needs to be deeply personal and obscure. The lyrics, the images, the [...]

The post Wolves in the Throne Room appeared first on Synthesis.

Hi-Ho! Hi-Ho! An interview with Mike Coykendall

Jacob Sprecher — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:05:28 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher Mike Coykendall is a name that very well deserves to be on the tips of Americana musical tongues across the land. But despite two lifetimes worth of credentials, he’s still lurking somewhere in the shadows of the woodsy dusk. Growing up in the heartland in Norwich, Kansas, Coykendall has been in the [...]

The post Hi-Ho! Hi-Ho! An interview with Mike Coykendall appeared first on Synthesis.

Beats Antique

Eric — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:21:35 +0000

By Tommy Diestel Not familiar with Beats Antique? First of all, shame on you! Second of all, here’s a quick primer: a tribal/world/electronic fusion powerhouse that walks the line between band and performance troupe. Synthesis caught up with the band before their gig at Coachella to talk past, present and future. Dig it. How did [...]

The post Beats Antique appeared first on Synthesis.

After Hours Poetry

Eric — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:23:57 +0000

By Eric Wendt Born of bar tabs and jukebox marathons, Six Ft. Swells is the indie press boozy, lovelorn wordsmiths have been waiting for. Started by three friends and poets — Matt Amott, Todd Cirillo and Julie Valin — Six Ft. Swells began with a simple manifesto: poetry should be honest, accessible, and most importantly, [...]

The post After Hours Poetry appeared first on Synthesis.

Gift of Gab

Eric — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:42:25 +0000

By Bob Waegner Whether solo or as one half of the classic MC/DJ duo Blackalicious, mic master Gift of Gab has been serving suckers for two decades and remains at the top of his game. With a new album, Next Logical Progression, out soon and a new Blackalicious album in the works, 2012 looks to [...]

The post Gift of Gab appeared first on Synthesis.

Protest The Hero

Eric — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:10:37 +0000

By Brian Leak It might seem strange to call a band that’s been around for 12 years up-and-coming, but Protest The Hero has yet to lose the youthful exuberance and hustle that made them so exciting in the first place. The band has taken their time to craft and release three highly acclaimed full-length albums [...]

The post Protest The Hero appeared first on Synthesis.

“Will You Shut Up?!” An Interview with Jon Lovitz

Jacob Sprecher — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:49:48 +0000

When I was a kid my obsession with Saturday Night Live bordered on the unhealthy. In addition to watching every new episode every weekend and collecting all the Best Of’s on VHS, I had my grandmother tape nightly reruns off VH1. To this day I still have a giant box of ambiguously marked video tapes [...]

The post “Will You Shut Up?!” An Interview with Jon Lovitz appeared first on Synthesis.

Between the Buried and Me

Eric — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:33:25 +0000

By Brian Leak For the past decade, Between the Buried and Me have dominated the progressive metal scene with renowned releases. With some epic tracks spanning 20 minutes in length, it’s a wonder that the band can continually release such full, original content and still out-do their previous efforts. With five studio albums and one [...]

The post Between the Buried and Me appeared first on Synthesis.

Real Estate Live at Slim’s

Jacob Sprecher — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:25:25 +0000

words by Jacob Sprecher photo by Terence Hofstad NOVEMBER 11 — Getting out of town and going to a show on short notice is pretty much always a good thing. Such was the case for myself on Friday. I’d already planned to be in the Bay for the weekend, and at the last second noticed [...]

The post Real Estate Live at Slim’s appeared first on Synthesis.

Last Chance To Reason

Eric — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:29:09 +0000

By Brian Leak Last Chance to Reason has been pushing the boundaries of typical metal for the better part of a decade with progressive, melodic, video-game inspired heaviness. Hailing from Portland, Maine, the band has been hard at work releasing not only albums that raise the bar in the genre but also an online video [...]

The post Last Chance To Reason appeared first on Synthesis.

Scale the Summit

Eric — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:02:00 +0000

By Brian Leak Scale the Summit has been consistently releasing organic, progressive instrumental metal for seven years. Comprised of the original members, the band seems to have no plans of letting up any time soon. Initially influenced by bands such as Dream Theater and Cynic, Scale the Summit has easily evolved into a more original [...]

The post Scale the Summit appeared first on Synthesis.

Nesta Rae: Flying Free

Eric — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:04:04 +0000

By Eric Wendt Nesta Rae’s upcoming CD release show at the El Rey is something of a homecoming for her. Being a Chico alum and longtime resident of our fair city before moving to L.A., Nesta is returning to perform songs from her debut record, Fly Free. With a fun, beachy sound reminiscent of Jack [...]

The post Nesta Rae: Flying Free appeared first on Synthesis.

Lei’d Back with Iration

Eric — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:22:42 +0000

By Joshua Allen Rastas and SoCal reggae fans take note – Iration may soon be stopping in a town near you as part of their Lei’d Back Fall Tour! Synthesis was able to catch up with Michah Pueschel, Iration’s lead vocalist and guitarist, for a little chat recently. Originally from the Big Island of Hawaii, [...]

The post Lei’d Back with Iration appeared first on Synthesis.

Jason Bonham at the Crest

Eric — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:33:39 +0000

Photos By Aaron Seals Words By Eric Wendt Keeping the music of Led Zep alive, Jason Bonham hit the Crest Theatre in Sacramento for a sold out show. Synthesis photographer Aaron Seals was there to experience the Experience. Said Aaron about the show: “Woooooohoooooo!” If you weren’t there, here’s a taste of what you missed:

The post Jason Bonham at the Crest appeared first on Synthesis.

Mickey Avalon: The American Dream

Eric — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:20:40 +0000

By Ky Junkins Rapper Mickey Avalon is not an egotistical performer and he never sought to become a celebrity. He simply says being a rapper is better than the “minimum wage, going-nowhere” food-service jobs he’s worked in the past, and attributes his success in the industry to the intersection of good fortune and hard work. [...]

The post Mickey Avalon: The American Dream appeared first on Synthesis.

Inside the Mind of Steven Wright

Jacob Sprecher — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:08:06 +0000

by Jacob Sprecher It’s hard not to be overly flattering when talking about somebody that’s a legitimate giant in their field, somebody that’s been there and back, done it all and then some. Steven Wright is one of those people. His hyper-comedic intelligence, inimitable dry delivery and surreal witticism have rightfully carved a spot for [...]

The post Inside the Mind of Steven Wright appeared first on Synthesis.

Jacuzzi Boys

Eric — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:06:43 +0000

By Jacob Sprecher If challenged to come up with a list of your top three favorite bands from Florida, you’d probably wind up scratching your head just a little bit. Torche, and…Torche, and…. Which isn’t to say that Florida isn’t a fine and lovely place, so much as it is a reality; there just isn’t [...]

The post Jacuzzi Boys appeared first on Synthesis.

Your Penis Is Safe…For Cutting

Eric — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:30:44 +0000

By Indus Guise In yet another of California’s meaningless cockfights, the ability for local governments to ban circumcisions ended up on the chopping block. Governor Jerry Brown has just signed a bill into law that makes banning circumcisions illegal. For those of you keeping track of that statement, it means that the ability to chop [...]

The post Your Penis Is Safe…For Cutting appeared first on Synthesis.

The Fucking Wrath

Eric — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:48:34 +0000

By Zach Ahern Punk. Stoner. Hardcore. Doom. The list goes on and on. Suffice to say, The Fucking Wrath play loud, fast and heavy music. If you’re looking to have your ears bleed with a smile on your face, you’ll get your ass to one of their shows. Synthesis got the chance to chat it [...]

The post The Fucking Wrath appeared first on Synthesis.

Urbee: The Coolest Car You’ve Never Heard Of

Eric — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:06:03 +0000

By Patrick Salvatierra What if the next time you decided you needed a new ride all you had to do was go online, purchase a template, download it and print it out? Okay, so that’s a few years off, but there is a company in Winnipeg that has actually “printed” a car. They used a [...]

The post Urbee: The Coolest Car You’ve Never Heard Of appeared first on Synthesis.

Unwritten Law: Singer Scott Russo On 20 Years Behind the Mic

Eric — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 20:14:39 +0000

By Wyatt Nation In the early ‘90s, Unwritten Law was a well respected punk band from Southern California. Unfortunately, they were overshadowed by Blink- 182, Pennywise and The Offspring, to name a few. Unwritten Law’s popularity and identity reached its apex during the late-‘90s with their third record, the self-titled/black album. It was a musical [...]

The post Unwritten Law: Singer Scott Russo On 20 Years Behind the Mic appeared first on Synthesis.